Update on ICF Board Discussions

Hello,

With this blog posting, I wish to provide members with an update on the most relevant discussions and initiatives the Board has taken recently and the discussion topics of the next Board of Directors meeting on March 18.

I look forward to hearing your response to this update through the various feedback channels listed at the end of this post.

Developing an Environment of Trust
The Board of Directors voted on a number of initiatives to foster a feedback culture, increasing openness and transparency of the organization’s governance. The initiatives that will be undertaken in the next few months include:

• Building consistency and reliability into the credentialing process;
• Conducting a member satisfaction survey and publishing the results;
• Designing a mechanism to receive, handle and address complaints (possibly to be addressed through the creation of an online suggestion box which the Executive Committee would be in charge of and monitor); and
• Include ICF Chapters in project implementation.

Real Talk with the ICF Board

Join members of ICF Board for an open forum - Real Talk with the ICF Board. Come share, ask questions and comment on items that interest you, including credentialing, chapter development, work on the ICF brand, public relations, membership recruitment or anything else.

Bridge line: +1.877.242.3279, Pin: 7400. Additional dialing instructions are available here (PDF).

Sessions are scheduled for the following dates (times below are in US Eastern/New York):


May

• Tuesday, May 4, 9 a.m. (in English)
• Tuesday, May 11, 1 p.m. (in French)
• Tuesday, May 18, 5 p.m. (in English)

Real Talk with the Board Recordings

Listen to the March 2 call.

Listen to the March 15 call (in Spanish).

Listen to the March 16 call.

Message Concerning ICF Credential Enhancements

On January 21 to 23, the ICF Board of Directors met for its annual strategic meeting. I invite you to read this month’s Coaching World newsletter, which will feature an article that will give you a better understanding of our commitment to the membership and organizational wholeness, and the organization’s strategic focus, including 2010 priorities.

Among the various topics on the agenda, the Board addressed the proposed changes to the current ICF Credentialing program. The Board reviewed all the comments received from members and stakeholders in the period from October to December 2009, including the input of the Lunch & Learn forum held in Orlando during the ICF Annual International Conference. We acknowledge that all the input received helped us realize that there are areas of concern that have to be addressed including two fundamental questions: 1) what is the purpose for the credentialing system and 2) whose task shall it be to develop a proposal to enhance our current credentialing system?

To summarize, the Board discussed and decided the following:

Challenges in the New Year

Hello,

This new year starts with a number of challenges for the ICF Board of Directors to tackle. The most topical one regards the future of our credentialing program. While we are witnessing several other organizations offer credentials, an increasing number of universities launching their BAs in coaching, and starting to smell the strong odor of regulation temptation in several areas of the world, we feel a huge responsibility. We are accountable for balancing the legitimate expectations and worries of our diverse membership with the challenge of pioneering the future of coaching. We understand the importance that the enhancements of our current credentialing program will have. Doing this well will ensure that ICF continues to be healthy and that the coaching profession prospers to a greater consideration and reputation.

An Open Letter in Response to Questions Regarding the ICF Credentialing Program

An Open Letter in Response to Questions Regarding the ICF Credentialing Program

Thank you for expressing your thoughts and concerns about the proposed enhancements to the ICF Credentialing process. We appreciate your dedication to the credentialing program and welcome your engagement in an open, collaborative dialogue moving forward.

To provide clarify and updated information, we have organized this letter as follows:

• Board Actions Regarding the ICF Credentialing Proposal and the Transition Process
• Status of the Existing Three Levels of ICF Certification: ACC, PCC and MCC
• The Process for Open Discussion and Feedback
• Credentialing Forum – An Open Discussion at the ICF Annual International Conference
• The Coaching Knowledge Base Advisory Board
• ICF Leadership: Moving Forward